Background Check Consent Form

Treat written consent as essential. Background checks process personal data — and criminal records and credit history are sensitive — so GCC data protection laws such as the UAE's Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021 and Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law expect a specific purpose, a lawful basis and transparency. Screening companies normally refuse to start without a signed consent form.

Common checks are identity and right to work, employment history, education (including degree attestation), references, and for some roles a police clearance or good conduct certificate and a credit bureau report. Run only the checks the role needs — a credit check makes sense for finance roles, not for every hire.

Naming the data protection law tells the candidate which rules protect their data. The form uses the UAE's Federal Decree-Law 45 of 2021, Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law, Qatar's Law 13 of 2016, Bahrain's Law 30 of 2018 and Oman's Royal Decree 6/2022. Employers in DIFC and ADGM follow their own free-zone data protection laws instead — edit that line if that applies to you.

Yes, and the form says so. If they withdraw, you stop the checks — and you can explain that you may not be able to continue with the application if the checks are a condition of the offer.

Only as long as you need them for the hiring decision and the employment file, then delete them. Set a period that fits your policy — for example a fixed number of months after the decision for unsuccessful candidates — and write it in the form so the candidate knows.